Giro

Espada Women's Shoes

If the visual cues don't give it away, we'll start by saying that the Espada is the women's-specific shoe in Giro's road shoe line. Giro looked into women's feet and found they typically take up less volume than men's feet (meaning they're thinner, top to bottom). They're also a little narrower in the heel and have a slightly different instep profile. If you've always struggled to get the right fit, you might find this shoe to be better.

Espada means "sword" in Spanish. Slicing through the marketing speak, the easiest way to describe this shoe would be as a narrower, lower-volume counterpart to the Giro Trans. There are some aesthetic tweaks that separate it from the Trans, there are the differently-shaped Velcro straps, the gold accents, the silver carbon-fiber sole, but in terms of shape and function, it's the same shoe.

That includes the Easton EC-70 sole, a carbon composite made of 70% carbon/30% glass, and it comes out of the same mold that Giro uses for their EC90 and EC90 SLX soles. The upper is microfiber, sourced for price, and the insole is a molded EVA footbed with medium arch support and an anti-microbial treatment on the fabric top sheet.

The Giro Espada comes in White/Silver. The buckle is replaceable and has two positions for further adjustability. The sole is drilled for three-bolt cleats, and there are pads underneath both the heel and toe for walking on slick surfaces. If you have a yen to try Giro's Supernatural Fit Kit, know that the arch on this insole matches the medium arch of their after-market kit; these shoes are designed to accept after-market insoles without issue. They're available in whole sizes from 36-43 and half sizes from 37.5 to 42.5.